Operating means for compressor-valves.



F. M. TITUS & D. B. SCHWAB.

OPERATING MEANS FOR COMPRESSOR VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2 1915.

l ,2Q9.,077 Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET WHWI'I'J? I Xh El J N F. M. mus & 0. 5. SGHWAB.

OPERATING MEANS FOR COMPRESSOR VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I915.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Simmons v UNITED, sTATEsrAr NtroEFIon- I FRANK M. TITUS AND DELMER B'. scHwAB; on BRADFORD, agnetis AssIeNoRs' mo BLAISDELL MACHINERYYCQ, on BRADFORD, rENNsYLvnNIA, A conronerron or PENNSYLVANIA.

OPERATING MEANS-FOR COMPRESSOR-VALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Dec. 19, 1916- I Application filed March 2, 1915 Serial No. 11,485..

To all whom it may concern: 7

'Be it known that we, FRANK M. Trips and DELMER B. SOHWAB, citizens of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsyl vania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Means for Compressor-Valves, of which the following the fcompressor cylinder of its compression load, until the direct connected gas engine, actuating the compressor, has, reached its maximum speed. I

Other objects of our invention are to .pro-

vide a positive cam operated valveopening movement, with a spring actuated, cam tim ing, valve closing movement, the advantages of which will readily'appear to those.

skilled in the art. I Y

A further object of our invention is to provide actuating means to the valve move ment whereby it ma; be so timedthat the valve is opened to the admission of fluid into the compressor cylinder, ata time when the pressure on each side of thevalve is approximately the same, thereby reducing wearrupon the valve, and strains ,upon its operating mechanism.

It is well known in the art that the general application of valves to compressor machines is beset with manydifiiculties and that mechanically operated; valves, especially where eccentrics are employed to perform 1 the opening and closing movement, are customarily slow and deliberate, as well as non intermittent and sluggish, and otherwise unadapted to meet the requirements of the rapid and speed varying motions required at the end of the piston stroke, to properly pro.

vide for the passage of incoming air at'the correct point of the piston movement in the beginning of the suction stroke.

In our improved valve operating mecha efficiency or approximately full nis m We dispense with the use of the coinmonform of eccentric movement, and substitute therefor a cam operatedvalve actuating means, by which the'valve is adapted to'remain'full open 'for a longer period while air is being admitted tothecylinder and furtherm'oredoes notrotate as far, as when operated by the usual eccentric. I

A further objectpf this invention to] provide 'a compressor with the [foregoing capabilities andwhich iin addition thereto,

is capable of beingrun at a speed higher In a compressor of" this type where the piston receives its movement from: a crank anda connecting rod, there is aperi oddur ing which the piston passes through the Zero point of reciprocat'ory motion, or dead center', and wherein th pisto n has but slight. In our invention we take ad-'. vantage of the uniform revoluble movement movement.

of the crank shaft, and atithe' beginning'of the suction stroke movement of the piston, and before the piston has acquired to any great extent its reciprocatory velocitynwe employ means to transfer the movement of the crank shaft into rapidspeed varying, in-

termittent and elfective motion to a controlled valve, through 'a suitable cam, to perform the rapid. opening of-the intake movement of the valve, and to apply a guide modification in various respects.

Figure 1, 1s a side elevation of a com-5 pressor, as seen from the cam end, with the valve actuating mechanism applied thereto. 'Figf2, is an enlarged detailedview of the actuating mechanism, with apart of the connecting rod broken away. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detailed view similar to Fig. 2,

showing the valve held in an' open position.

Fig. 4, is a diagrammatic view, showing the compressor cycleby three positions of full functional operations (numbered I, II,

III), I, at the end of he discharging air, II,

taking free air, III, compressing airf l 5 than ispractical with other: forms of valves;

Referring to thedrawings more particushaft in common to both the gas engine and.

the compressor. Direct connected engine driven compressors, are well known in the art, and as the motive power is not a part of this invention, no further description thereof is deemed necessary.

1, is the base to which is suitably attached at the one end, thecylinder 2, and mounted upon the other end is the rotating crank shaft 3. Located upon the crank shaft 3, is a valve movement actuating cam 4, se-

curely keyed against rotative movement on the crank shaft 3,by the key 5. Suitably mounted on the side of the base 1, and projecting outwardly in parallel relation to the crank-shaft 3, is a stud 6. Mounted on the stud 6, and adapted for oscillatingmove ment thereon is a valve rod crank 7, having three projecting arms A, B and C.

Located on the upper arm B, of the valve rod crank 7, is a roller 8, mounted on the stud 9, which projects horizontally from the,

crank- 7. The roller 8, is adapted for rotative movement, and to revolve in its contact with the face of the cam 4. The shaft 3, in its revolving motion, causes the cam14, to engage the roller 8, and in turn to impart oscillating movement to the valve.rod crank 7.

-To provide for normally maintaining the .roller 8, in operative. contact with the cam 4, there is piv'otally connected to the arm C, a rod 10, whose lowerend passes through the guide lug 11, which is attached to the base 1, by the bolts 1212. Located near the upper-end of the rod 10, is a fixed shoulder 13, encircling the rod 10. Between the fixed shoulder 13, and the guide lug 11, is a compressiblecoil spring 14, adapted to be compressed in the oscillating movement of the crank member 7, and to normally exert a contact pressure between the roller 8, and

the face of the cam 4.

Located on the projecting arm A, of the.

crank member 7,v is a. pro ecting stud 15. Mounted on the stud .15, and adapted for rotating movement thereon, is a valve rod journal 16. Attached by suitable means to the journal 16, is the valve rod 17 Attached by suitable means at the opposite end of the valve rod '17, is the journal 18. Lo-v cated within the journal 18 and adapted for,

rotative movement therein is the wrist pin 19, projecting horizontally from the valve crank 20. The valve -.crank 20 is" mounted upon, the valve stem 21,. and held against ro-. 'tative movement thereon by the constricting bolts 22. The valve stem 21 is connect stud24. Mounted upon the stud 24, and

adapted for rotative movement thereon, is

" a lever 25, having at the one end a handle 26,

and at. the opposite end an extended lug 27. Located for normal contact with the lug 27, when the lever 25, is in the'position shown in Fig. 2, is a projecting stud 28, adapted to hold the lever 25, in the position shown. In the rotation of the shaft 3, as the elevated portion of the cam 4, comes in contact with the roller 8, there will'be an oscillating movement imparted to the crank member 7,Wl1l(}ll will cause a downward movement to the spring rod 10, thereby compressing the coil spring 14, between the shoulder 13 and the projecting lug '11. This state of compression of the spring 14, will exist as long as the high surface of the cam 4, is in contact with the roller 8. As-theroller passes from the. high surface and descends to the lower surface of the cam.4, the compression of the spring 14', will exert itself and move the roller 8, nearer the center of the shaft 3, in which position it will remain until the high surface of the cam 4, again engages the roller 8, when a corresponding movement of the crank member 7, will again. be instituted. v I

As the crank member 7, is oscillated, a reciprocating movement is imparted to the valve-rod 17, which conveys rotative movement to the valve crank 20, which in turn rotates the valve gudgeon 21 attached to the valve stem 21, and provides for the opening andiclosing of the air port communicating with the interior of the cylinder 2.

, As previouslyreferred to, one of the objects of this invention is to provide means whereby the valve may be maintained in an open. position to relieve compression within a V the stud24. ,With the lever 25, in the position shown in Fig. 3, as the valve crank 20, is about to begin its backward or closing rotation, the projection 27,- intercepts the rotative movement. of the crank 20., by, its engagement'with the lug 23', and the valve is maintained in .open position as long asthe lever 25 remains in-the position-[shown in Fig. 8. p e p p With the valve movement arrested as shown in Fig. 3, the crank shaft3, is free to rotate.

without any appreciable movement being conveyed in such rotation, to" the crank member 7 andthe compressor actuating mechanism is free to operate with the valvere maining in an open pos tion to the relief of.

the compression .load, thereby facilitating easy starting of the compressor actuating:

means, and permitting the establishment of the highest rotative movement thereof, before the compressor valve is. thrown into operative movement,whichv is" accomplished by throwing-the lever 25,- from the position shown in Fig.- 3, tothe position shown in.

. Fig. 2.

.. all normal condition. We also providean' Inthe application of our novel valve as; tuating means WGuIJl'QVlClG va construction, whereby. the spr ng. actuated valve v closing means will :operate to close the valve. under element of safety to the valvestructureand its component parts agalnst breakage, when through failure ofproper lubrication, or the location of foreign matter in the valve seat, the valve becomes obstructed against closing, the valve Wlllremain in; an open position avoiding injury to the valvemechanism by its being automatically thrown. out of operative connection with the crank shaft ofthe ;compressor, thus providing a safety which it 35 is impossible to obtain withthe positively controlled eccentric driven Corliss. valves.

. Our invention p'ertains primarily to the valve actuating means shown, and to the a relative position of the piston to the move- 4O mentof the valve actuating means. The discharge. of the compressed 'fiuid from the compressor cylindermay be taken care of:

in any of theways well known in the art 1 and such details not being of this invention, further description "of the details thereof are not necessary. The'timing of.

the valvev actuating means in relation to the p ston travel, forms however an important feature'of this invention.

In the diagrammatic view L-shown in-Fig. 4, it will be observed that the crank shaft having been turnedin its operative direction, counter clockwise", that. the crank pin 31 has passed the d'ead'center and the piston has already begun to -move in the direction of the suction stroke. Previous to such movement, there has beena discharge of the compressed fluid from the cylinder '2, such discharge ceased at the commencement 0f the movement of the piston toward the suctio-n stroke. There still remains however. withinthe-clearance space 34,..between the piston and the cylinder head, a residue of; compressed fluid. This fluidin its com-1 pressed state has a greater static pressure air, although the crank shaft 3, has-passed. the dead center by several degrees, and the piston has commenced to move in the direc tionof the suctlon stroke. In such move? mentthe piston begins to increase the clearance space 34:, and to thereby progressively reduce the static pressure within the clear: ance space, untilthe pressure thereln 1s reduced materially toward atmospheric, oruntil the pressure on the faces-of the, valve gudgeon at'the respective parts, bears sufii ciently near equal, to makeqthe rotative movement of the valve gudgeon easyland without undue friction. When such point hasbeen reached the valve gudgeon is adapts,

cd toopen-for the admission of airintothe.

cylinder at the suction stroke as is-shown-in.

diagram II. Under this novel arrangement there is;no movement of the valve gudgeonp while there is any perceptible pressure thereon.

The operation of our improved valve acZ- tuating mechanism will be readily apparentto those skilled in the art. The revolvingmovement of the cam lfimparts oscillating movement to the-crank 7, which in turn reciprocatesthe valve rod 17, conveying rotary movement to the valve crank 20. With the lever 25, resting in the position shown in Fig.2,- the'valve crank 20, is free to oscillate in its operative function to open and close: a

the valveport; By placingthe lever-25, in. the position shown, in Fig. '3, 'at a; period when the valveerank 20 is in its farthermostposition of opening, the oscil].ating. move mentof the valve crank 20, will-,be arrested. -1

by its contact with the extension'lug 27, of

the lever 25, and will remain insuch'open position as long as the. lever 25, is in the position shown in Fig. 3, due'to the valve; closing means being h'eldinoperative as shown. When it is desired to again place the valve actuating means in operation thelever 25, is changed from the-position-shown in Fig.3, tothatof the position shown in Fig. 2, which allows the free rotation of the valve crank 20.- v Withthe valve-held in the openposition, the compressor piston is free I to reciprocate without creating a compres- S1011 load, and; the compressor actuating means may be moreeasily started, may

be accelerated up to its maximum speed and power, before placing the f1u-1d..compress1ng means in operation. 7 When this stateof accelerated speed of the compressor actuating means hasbeen reached the. compressor -may" be put under load by throwing the lever 25,

from the position shown in Fig. 3, to the position shown in Fig. 2, which allows the free rotation of the valve crank 20.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes we have herein described and illustrated the best form of the invention now known to us, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in tllGIOIHl of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of our invention, and that certain features of the invention may be advantageously employed in some circumstances without a corresponding use of other features, and We do not wish the claims hereinafter made to be limited to the particular form of the apparatus disclosed more than is made necessary by the state of the art.

Having now described our invention what we claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an air compressor the combination of an inlet valve having oscillating movement adapted to control the admission of air, actuating means to operate said compressor -comprising a reciprocating valve rod, cam

connections with said operating means fashioned to permit the oscillating valve to remain stationary in the successive positions required for the pumping operation, and to quickly change its position to give intermittent motion to the valve during each revolu tion of the actuating means, with independent means to maintain the oscillating valve stationary over more than one revolution of said reciprocating rod actuating means.

2. A compressor valve actuating device comprising a rotating cam, an inlet valve having oscillating movement, a reciprocating valve rod, actuating means having a direct connected engagement with said cam, fash ioned to permit the oscillating valve to remain stationary in successive positions, and independent means for maintaining the valve rod stationary over more than one revoluindependent means for maintaining the valve rod stationary over more than one revolution of said rod actuating means.

4. In a direct connected gas engine air compressor, having a cylinder, a port connected with said cylinder, a compressing piston working in said cylinder, and a crank shaft actuating said piston, the combination with an oscillating valve controlling said port, of means for opening said valve comprising a reciprocating valve rod actuating member, a cam on said crank shaft adapted to convey reciprocating movement to said valve rod actuating member to open said valve, and a retracted spring bearing on said valve rod actuating member adapted to close said valve in fixed time relation to the movement of the compression piston and independent means for maintaining the valve rod stationary over more than one revolution of said rod actuating means.

5. In a directconnected gas engine driven air compressor, having a compressing cylinder, a port connected with said cylinder, a compressing piston working in said cylinder, a crank shaft'actuating said piston havinga cam thereon, the combination with an oscillating valve controlling said port, of a reciprocating rod between said crank shaft and the oscillating valve, adapted to receive intermittent reciprocating motion from said cam whereby the intermittent movement of theoscillating valve will have a proportion of movementless than the proportion of rest.

6. In an air-compressor, the combination 10f an oscillating valve adapted to control the admission of air into said compressor, power connections to operate the compressor and cam connections therewith fashioned to perm t the valve to remain stationary in the successive positions required for the pumping operation and to quickly change its position "to give intermittent motion to the valve, with means for imparting to said oscillating valve fa proportion of movement less than the proportion of rest. I

7. An apparatus of the character described,

comprising an irregular outlined cam operatively mounted for rotative movement, a reciprocating valve rod actuating lever placed in operative contact with said cam, a valve crank adapted for an oscillating movement, a crank PIILPI'OJGCtlIlg' horizontally from one end of said valve crank, a projecting lobe on the opposite end of said valve crank, a horizontally projecting stud located near the rotative path of said lobe, and a lever mounted on said stud and adapted to be moved into the path of said lobe to arrest the rotative movement substantially as described. I

'8. An apparatus of the character described, comprising an irregular outlined cam operatively mounted for rotative movement, a horizontally projecting stud adjacent to the path of said cam, an oscillating lever mounted on said stud adapted to receive movement from said cam through a roller contact at the upper end and having a horizontally projecting stud rigidly attached to the lower end, a valve rod terminal mounted on said stud, an oscillating valve crank, a valve actuating rod adapted for reciprocating move ment connected to said terminal at the one end with valve crank operating terminal at the other end, a projecting lobe on one end 7 9. In an air compressor, the combination with an oscillating valve adapted to control the admission of air into said compressor, power connections to operate said compressor, valve actuating cam connections therewith, whose periphery is divided into high and low surfaces in radial relation to a common center, of valve oscillating means yieldingly held against said cam adapted to receive reciprocating movement through contact with the periphery portion of said cam interposed between the high and low surfaces, and independent means for holding said valve oscillating means stationary over more than one revolution of said cam.

10. In combination with a valve actuating cam of an air compressor, whose periphery is divided into alternate high and low surfaces in radial relation to a common center,

having an abrupt deviation of its radial curve interposed therein, of valve oscillating means yieldingly held against said cam receiving reciprocating movement through contact with said abrupt portions and remaining inactive during the rotation of the cam through the arcs. of said radial curve, with independent means for maintaining said valve osclllating means stationary over more than onerevolutlon of said cam.

11.. In'combination with a valve actuating cam of an air compressor, whose periphery is divided into alternate high and low surfaces in radial relation to'a common center, I

having an abrupt deviation of its radial curve interposed therein, of valve oscillating means 'yieldingly held against said cam adapted to receivereciprocating movement from said abrupt deviation, and to remain inactive during the rotation of the cam through the arcs of said radial curve, and independent means for maintaining said valve oscillating means stationary over more than one revolution of said cam.

12. In combination with a valve actuating rotating cam of an air compressor, whose periphery is divided into alternate high and low surfaces, in radial relation to a common center, ofv valve oscillating means spring actuatingly held against said cam, adapted to be cam actuated in one direction, and spring actuated in the-opposite direction, with in'- dependent means for placing the valve oscillating means in and out of cam engagement while said cam continues to rotate.

In'testimony whereof we have affixed our signatures'in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. TITUS. DELMER B. SCHWAB.

witnesses F. M. NASH, E. M. K001i.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. I 

